Tag Archive for nutrition

The Triathlon Rx | June 28, 2011
9 comments

Tried It Tuesday: Hammer Endurolytes Fizz

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It has been way too long since the last Tried It Tuesday… and not because there are a lack of products to review!! There are a a handful stacked in the “draft/to finish” pile, including my hands-down favorite ever (so far) running shoe, some compression wear, and more on the hydration. (It’s supposed to be 100° on Thursday – gotta keep those fluids going!)

But on THIS particular Tuesday, the review is in, and we’re talking about Hammer Nutrition Endurolytes Fizz.

While this is not a brand new product (I think they came out ~October, 2010), they’re new to me. What took me so long to try them? Well, it just so happens that there’s a very similar product I happen to like a lot. Rhymes with the word moon, comes in flavors like kola (which others have likened to “armpit”, but I think is delicious. Bigger question – why do you know what armpit tastes like?), is linked right over there (—-> glance page upper right), and was featured in Train On Top Volume 4: Hydration. You know the saying – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – which is why I have been a little hesitant to make the jump when I have something that works so well for me already.

But then there’s that other saying - Never be afraid to try something new. Amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic. – (or something like that… ;) ) so I decided to give them a shot. Below you will find my review on Hammer Nutrition’s Endurolyte Fizz tablets, as well as a comparison between the Endurolytes Fizz and Nuun’s Electrolyte Enhanced Drink Tabs.

According to the Hammer Nutrition blog, the Endurolyte Fizz tabs were one of the products to take the longest from a nice idea to a finished, fully functional hydration/electrolyte choice. Obstacles to overcome were taste, the chemical stability and breakdown, as well as combining everything into a product that gives you a bang for your buck. Regarding the economics, I’ll quote the Hammer Blog so you can see what they had to say:

Endurolytes Fizz is economical as well, with 13 effervescent tablets in each tube—not 10 to 12, like some of the others—at a cost of $6.50 per tube, or 50 cents per tablet. One of the reasons why Endurolytes Fizz costs less is that, unlike other effervescent electrolyte products, it doesn’t contain inconsequential amounts of vitamins or other nutrients, which only serve to increase the price. Instead, you get the full-spectrum electrolytic mineral support that you need, along with adequate amounts of auxiliary nutrients, just like you do with Endurolytes capsules or powder, but without the hefty price tag. Compare Endurolytes Fizz to the competition and you’ll see that you’re saving a lot of money!

Originally available in Grapefruit, Mango, and Lemon-Lime, the Endurolyte Fizz’s also now come in Peach. I’ve had the joy of trying all the different flavors, and according to my personal tastes I would rank them (from best to worst) as follows: Grapefruit > Lemon-Lime > Peach > Mango.

I will admit that I pretty much hate mangos, in any shape or form, so you may want to disregard that last ranking and just try it for yourself! I felt that all of the flavors were subtle – not overwhelming your water bottle or sickly sweet – in what I believe leads to a drink that’s crisp and refreshing, rather than something that tastes like juice. The “fizz” component of Endurolytes Fizz was also pretty mild, which I appreciated because no one likes bubbles up their nose during a 40 minute threshold interval. Each Endurolyte Fizz tablet is said to contain just 10 calories, <1g carbohydrate, a $#!&ton of Vitamin B6 and Maganese, 200mg sodium, 100mg potassium, and 50 mg magnesium. (See nutrition label at left.)

LIKES: I like the subtlety of the fizz and flavor. I like that you get a bonus tablets (13 in Hammer, vs. 12 in Nuun), and I really like the Grapefruit flavor!! I also like that this is a [practically] calorie / carb free product. As I explained in the HYDRATION issue of Train On Top, I like to be able to control the amount of extra energy I need (depending on the length/intensity of the workout) by adding my own magic to the mix. ;)

DISLIKES: There are only four flavors, and I really dislike one of them (coughmangocough). I know Hammer touts the affordability of these little tabs, but at $6.50 a tube (or 50 cents/tablet), I guess I dont’ feel that it’s worth quite that much. (You could by 34.2 bananas at Trader Joe’s for $6.50.) Nor is it any more affordable than “the other” product. That “bonus” tablet doesn’t really seem like a bonus anymore once you realize both products cost $0.50/tab, and the product with 13 tabs instead of 12 costs $0.50 more. Doh!

How about a little Nuun vs. Hammer throw down? Lets look at just the facts:

Nuun flavors: banana, fruit punch, lemon lime, tropical, kona kola, orange, citrus fruit, tri berry, grape, lemon tea, strawberry lemonade
Endurolytes flavors: lemon-lime, peach, grapefruit, mango

Nuun tablets per tube: 12
Endurolytes tablets per tube: 13

Nuun cost per tube / tablet: $6.00 / $0.50
Endurolytes cost per tube / tablet: $6.50 / $0.50

And the less objective measures….

Nuun flavor intensity (scale of 1-10, 10 being highest): 7
Endurolyte flavor intensity (scale of 1-10, 10 being highest): 4

Nuun fizz intensity (scale of 1-10, 10 being highest): 7
Endurolyte fizz intensity (scale of 1-10, 10 being highest): 4

Nuun flavor options: 11 choices. My favorites = Citrus Fruit, followed by Kona Kola. Least favorite = Tri-Berry*
Endurolytes flavor options: 4 choices. My favorite = Grapefruit. My least favorite = Mango
*I have not tried several of Nuun’s new flavors, including Lemon Tea, Grape, Raspberry Lemonade, or Tropical, so can’t give a fair opinion on those. Nor can I be held responsible if you try them and think they taste like “armpit.”

FINAL GRADE: I’d give the Hammer Endurolyte Fizz tablets a B. The three factors bringing the grade down are 1) cost, 2) limited flavor options, and 3) the Mango. Ick.

But the score that really matters (to Hammer at least) is the amount sold. After all, a business is a business and they need to make a profit. Good, solid products typically have no problem selling! It is up to YOU to decide that for yourself, so if you’re curious about these little electrolytning fizzy drink tabs, I’d suggest you give them a try!

Reader Qs:

Have you tried the Endurolyte Fizz tabs? What did you think? Which was your favorite? Do you use electrolyte products like these during your workouts or racing? Do you have a different favorite drink product I haven’t talked about yet? I’m definitely open to other reviews!

Take care amigos,
-E

Category: Tried It Tuesday | Tags: , , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | May 8, 2010
9 comments

IRON – Definitions, Deficiencies, and Darn good sources

Wow, wow, wow. Lots of new readers coming in! I guess that’s what happens when food = free! Hope some of you guys stick around now that the giveaway is over! ;)

Well, given the title of today’s post, it’s pretty clear what we’re going to be talking about – Iron. What [apparently] wasn’t clear was ME!! After posting about my return to eating meat, I read many comments and a couple of emails that made me realize you all thought that I am currently anemic. Not so chiquitos. Although my thought process is often a twisting road, so I can understand if I lead some of you astray. :) My idea was that in cutting out soy, coupled with the fact that I am bleeding so heavily on my periods, I could easily end up very protein and iron deficient. That is definitely not one of those “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” situations… I want to make sure I take action now to stop it before it happens!! Hence, the return to eating los animales.

Before I jump into Iron 101, you might ask how is the whole meat thing going? Dece. Since Tuesday April 27th, I have consumed beef (just that one night at the ‘potle…) shrimp, tuna, buffalo (!!), chicken, and turkey. It’s still weird to me that I’m eating animal muscles and tissue. To me, that will never be any different than running my own human thigh through a meat slicer, but you know what? You do what you gotta do! My digestive system has taken to it better than I expected – a little gassy at first, and yes, the poo changes a bit, but you can expect that to happen when you make any drastic dietary change.

Here’s a little medterm for ya: Enzymes in the body all have specific jobs, and different enzymes act on different foods or compounds. The suffix –ase typically signals that it is an enzyme, and the root word coming before the –ase signifies what the enzyme is acting on. For example, lactase acts on lactose. Amylase acts on starches. There are a couple of enzymes that end in –in instead of –ase such as pepsin or chymdotrypsin… these are usually pancreatic enzymes. Protease breaks down proteins found in meats, nuts, eggs, and cheese. So although I’ve been a vegetarian for the last eight years, it’s not like I haven’t had protease at work in my body.

We have lots to talk about here though… so let’s get down to bidness.

WHAT IS IRON?

Aside from being a wrinkle remover for clothes, and one of the most bountiful metals on earth, iron is something that is essential to human life. It is a key component of proteins, enzymes, oxygen transport, and cell growth and proliferation. About two thirds of the iron stored in the human body is found in hemoglobin – the protein in red blood cells that carries fresh oxygen to tissues. It is also found in myoglobin, which helps transport oxygen to the muscles.

There are two types of iron: heme iron, and nonheme iron. It’s pretty easy to figure out if you think of it as, “Did this protein source originally ever have hemoglobin?” Or, if you just wanna be real with it, did this protein source ever had blood pumping through it? HEME iron is found in animal foods that did have hemoglobin – think red meat, fish, and poultry.  In contrast, NONHEME iron never had hemoglobin in the first place. Think plant foods – lentils, and beans. Most people argue that heme iron is absorbed better by the body, although most sources of iron in the diet are actually nonheme.

Writing this instantly pops the picture of 400 repeats on the track into my mind. I remember high school workouts, doing the last one all out. I remember my lungs screaming and muscles burning. Just picture the little oxygen molecules working their way to your quads and your hammies. Couldn’t happen without iron!

WHAT IS IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA?

Iron deficiency anemia is, as implied, a deficiency of iron in the body resulting in anemia. Anemia in turn is a condition in which the blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells. Due to the lack of iron, the body isn’t able to produce enough hemoglobin. While I have never dealt with this personally (yet?! Knock on wood!) I know plenty of athletes who have. Some have had to take the season, or multiple seasons off just to get back to a healthy point.

There are several causes that may lead you to become iron deficient:

  • Lack of iron in diet
  • Blood loss (heavy periods, slow chronic bleeding such as from an ulcer, uterine polyp, cancer, or tumor. GI (gastrointestinal) bleeding can also result from regular use of NSAIDS (asprin, etc.))
  • Inability to absorb iron (ie Chron’s disease or celiac disease, which affect your body’s ability to absorb nutrients from digested food.)
  • Pregnancy (when pregnant, your body’s iron stores are working overtime to serve both you and your developing fetus.)

Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include:

  • Extreme fatigue
  • Pale skin
  • Weakness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Headache
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Cold hands and feet
  • Irritability
  • Inflammation or soreness of your tongue
  • Increased likelihood of infection
  • Brittle nails
  • Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
  • Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, or dirt
  • Poor appetite, especially in infants and children
  • Restless leg syndrome

Like many things, iron deficiency anemia is not something you should self-diagnose or treat. Iron supplements should be taken only under a doctor’s recommendation and supervision. An excess of iron in the body can cause liver damage and other non-fun complications.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATION FOR IRON INTAKE?

The current RDI for Iron is 18 milligrams per day for adults and children over 4 years old. For pregnant women, the Office of Dietary Supplements says that the RDI should roughly double, jumping to about 27 milligrams per day. When you’re looking at a “daily value” (%DV) keep in mind that that is based on a 2,000 calorie/day diet, so individual needs may be more or less.

WHERE CAN I GET ME SOME?

Thanks Office of Dietary Supplements! Here’s a little fact sheet for ya: (Based on the FDA’s Daily Value (DV) of 18 milligrams, and percentages based on a 2,000 calorie diet.)

Food sources of HEME iron:

  • Chicken liver (3.5 oz) – 70% DV
  • Oysters (6) – 25% DV
  • Beef, lean (3 oz) – 20% DV
  • Clams (3/4 cup) – 15% DV
  • Turkey, dark meat (3.5 oz) – 10% DV
  • Turkey, light meat (3.5 oz) – 8% DV
  • Chicken, dark meat (3.5 oz) – 6% DV
  • Tuna, bluefin (3 oz) – 6% DV
  • Chicken, light meat (3 oz) – 6% DV (not sure why the discrepancy in serving size..?)
  • Halibut (3 oz) – 6% DV
  • Crab meat (3 oz) – 4% DV
  • Pork (3 oz) – 4% DV
  • Tuna, white (3 oz) – 4% DV
  • Shrimp (4 large) – 4% DF

Food sources of NONHEME iron:

  • Ready to eat, 100% iron fortified cereal (servings vary) – 100% DV
  • Oatmeal, instant, fortified (1 cup) – 60% DV
  • Soybeans, boiled (1 cup) – 50% DV
  • Lentils, boiled (1 cup) – 35% DV
  • Beans – kidney, lima, navy – boiled (1 cup) – 25% DV
  • Beans – black, pinto – boiled (1 cup) 20% DV
  • Molasses, black strap (1 TBSP) – 20% DV
  • Tofu, raw, firm (1/2 cup) – 20% DV (varies greatly by brand/type!)
  • Spinach, boiled and d rained (1/2 cup) – 20% DV
  • Raisins, seedless, packed (1/2 cup) – 8% DV
  • Whole wheat bread (1 slice) – 6% DV (varies by brand/type!)

So where does that leave me? Well, as I said last week, I’m not going to be eating solely meat for my protein sources. Its ALSO not like because I’m cutting out soy, I’m going to cut all sources of nonheme iron. That would be a) nearly impossible, and b) ridiculously stupid. It’s a good thing I LOOOVE spinach because 20% DV in one teeny half cup cooked is no problemo for this Popeye lovin’ lady! I have been trying many new foods lately, and honestly I feel like my options are endless. I will be 100% honest and say that it feels really good to be able to go out to eat and have more options than iceburg on a plate with mushy tomatoes. If we’re buds on facebook, you might have noticed I recently tried this:

READER QUESTIONS:

What are your favorite sources of iron? Please believe me.. the lists above are very inconclusive! And most importantly, do you have any CostCo recommendations for me? That’s where I’m headed as soon as I hit publish. And do core. And take a shower. :)

I’m out! Happy Saturday, and an early HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all my madres out there, especially my own! I love you mom!

-E

SORCES:
Mayo Clinic – Iron Deficiency Anemia
Office of Dietary Supplements – Iron

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